I really want to support a campaign called #notguilty today. The other day I listened to an incredible TED talk by Ione Wells.
It is called “How We Talk About Sexual Assault Online” and it is one of the best TED talks I have ever seen. I love what she says about shame – how shaming the perpetrator doesn’t benefit the victim or anyone else. I love what she says about the role of media that because news moves so quickly nowadays that we seem to be getting increasingly numb to it. I love that she mentioned how the media spins our own stories – I personally experienced this when my story of self-love spiralled into one of proving my bullies wrong.
We share a very similar view on shame, and how speaking out and telling the first-hand personal accounts is what is needed. It humanises the individual and stops us from just viewing the individual as a ‘victim’.
Whether it’s body shaming or victim shaming, it needs to end and the only way we do this is by standing firm and telling our stories. We need people to see the impact of their actions.
My favourite line: “You can not speak over those who have been affected by an injustice”. If you don’t want to contribute to the conversation or don’t feel personally passionate about the topic at hand, then don’t contribute but please be considerate before adding vitriol onto a comment thread, believing that it won’t get seen by the individual.
I have the privilege of having never been through what she has been through but from my experience of PTSD and just my general empathy as a human, I have a deep amount of respect for speaking out on such a personal topic. #notguilty